Merchant – Beneath Review

Black Bow records have done it again. That’s it, that’s all you need to know. Black Bow are becoming like Earache Records was like back in the 80s when you knew you could trust them.

Merchant are from Melbourne, Australia. A four piece that break down the doors of perception with their very own sludgehammer! Slow and low, like Conan or Monolord, and tantalising our inner ears with slight diversions of warping effects leading in to bludgeoning psyche out territory. Brown acid trips galore, baked out dry on a deserted highway with only the ghost of Lemmy as company. I mention him as second track “Succumbing” reminds me of “Orgasmatron” played at the wrong slow speed.

Speed, now I mention it, Merchant deliver an amphetamine comedown, that drawn out feeling of a weekend spent in five minutes and the next five days of hangover and repair before the next weekend hits.

Merchant had an LP in 2016 which I missed, so will dig around to see what I can find, as from what I hear on this twin tracker, it could be a real beaut! (slipping in to stereotype Aussie vernacular).